Section on Growth and Obesity, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10 Center Drive, Room 1-3330, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Published: September 2022
AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
Among youth, greater heart rate (HR) and lesser HR variability (HRV) are precursors to loss-of-control (LOC) eating episodes in the natural environment. However, there are limited data examining whether pre-meal HR and HRV are associated with greater LOC-eating in the laboratory setting. We therefore examined temporal relationships between pre-meal HR, frequency- and time-based metrics of pre-meal HRV, perceived LOC-eating, and energy intake during a meal designed to simulate a LOC-eating episode. Among 209 participants (54.5% female, 12.58 ± 2.72 years, 0.52 ± 1.02 BMIz), 19 reported LOC-eating in the prior month. Perceived LOC-eating during the laboratory meal was not significantly linked to pre-meal HR ( = 0.37), but was positively related to pre-meal HRV (ps = 0.02-0.04). This finding was driven by youth with recent LOC-eating, as these associations were not significant when analyses were run only among participants without recent reported LOC-eating ( = 0.15-0.99). Pre-meal HR and HRV were not significantly related to total energy intake (ps = 0.27-0.81). Additional research is required to determine whether early-stage pediatric LOC-eating is preceded by a healthy pre-meal stress response. Longitudinal studies could help clarify whether this pattern becomes less functional over time among youth who develop recurrent LOC-eating episodes.
Section on Growth and Obesity, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 10 Center Drive, Room 1-3330, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Among youth, greater heart rate (HR) and lesser HR variability (HRV) are precursors to loss-of-control (LOC) eating episodes in the natural environment. However, there are limited data examining whether pre-meal HR and HRV are associated with greater LOC-eating in the laboratory setting. We therefore examined temporal relationships between pre-meal HR, frequency- and time-based metrics of pre-meal HRV, perceived LOC-eating, and energy intake during a meal designed to simulate a LOC-eating episode.
Background: Loss-of-control (LOC) eating commonly develops during adolescence, and it predicts full-syndrome eating disorders and excess weight gain. Although negative emotions and emotion dysregulation are hypothesized to precede and predict LOC eating, they are rarely examined outside the self-report domain. Autonomic indices, including heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), may provide information about stress and capacity for emotion regulation in response to stress.
Objectives: Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) have autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction as measured by heart rate variability (HRV). Omega-3 fatty acids may improve heart rate regulation. Our aim was to describe ANS response to a mid-day meal in adolescent females with AN in a 12-week treatment program, randomized to receive either omega-3 supplements or placebo.
